Automatic system of signaling for electric railways.



PATENTEDI'EB. .7, 1905.

, S. M. YOUNG.

AUTOMATIC SYSTEM 0I' SIGNALING EUR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED NV. 15,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 781,757. PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905.

' S. MfYCUNG. AUTOMATIC SYSTEM CE SIGNALING ECR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@vi/Imc o s elo- UNITED STATES Patented February 7, 1905.

PATENT (DEEICE.

SAMUEL MARSH YOUNG, GF NEV YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,757, dated February 7, 1905.

Application filed November 15,1904. Serial No. 232,778.

To @ZZ wwnt 7125 puny concern.-

Be it known that l, SAMUEL MARSH YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at N ew York city, county and State of New York, have invented an Automatic System of Signaling for Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to an automatie system of signaling for electric railways, and specifically to the relay and other mechanism employed to control and actuate the signaling apparatus.

Considered broadly, my inventionl contemplates a source of power-current, a source of signaling-current, a trackway divided into block-sections, means for rendering both rails of the trackway electrically continuous for the powercurrent and the block-sections electrically separated for the signaling-current, and means for visually indicating the condition of the block-sections.

Considered more in detail, my invention contemplates the employment of a selective relay, a circuit controlled by such relay, and visual signaling` apparatus actuated directly by the current iiowing in the circuit controlled by the relay. Y

The objects of my invention are a system of signaling which will be controlled by the movement of the motor-vehicles into and out of the. block-sections and the employment of a relay which will open and close without eX- cessive sparkinga circuit of suflicient energy to operate a standard semaphore-signal; further, to make use of the direct pull of a solenoid to lift the semaphore-arm and to hold it in the clear position when the block-section in which it is located is not occupied.

The accompanying' drawings will serve to illustrate my invention, in whichY Figure 1 is a diagram showing my system as a whole. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view, partially in section, of my improved relay and its connections. Fig. 3 is vertical section through the device used to lift and hold the semaphore-signal. Fig. L is a view of such device looking from the left.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a source of power-current; 2, source of signaling-currentg 3, conductor leading from the source of powerto use.

current and which may serve as a working or contact conductor; 4, conductor leading from source of signaling-current; 5 6, traiic-rails, which are divided into block-sections A B C. The rail 5 is continuous and is connected to both sources of current. r1`he rail 6 is divided into block-sections, each the length of a block. Vinterposed between the rails 5 6 and at opposite ends of each block are the bonds 7 S. These bonds are preferably made of coiled insulated copper wire and serve to isolate the blocks A B C from each other, so far as the signaling-current is concerned. I do not limit myself to the particular form of bond shown, as any form of bond may be employed which will fulfil the purpose of that shown.

interposed between the rail 5 and the conductor e at the left-hand end of each block is the primary 9 of a transformer 10, the secondary 11 of which is connected across the rails 5 6, and interposed between the rail 5 and the conductor 4 at the right-hand end of each block is the primary 12 of a transformer 13, the secondary le of which is wound around the core 15 and forms the lield-coil 16 of a rclay 17.

18 indicates the armature of the relay 17, on which is wound the coil 19, the terminals of which are connected across the rails 5 (3. The coil 19 is disposed so that its plane when in a position of equilibrium is that of the magnetic field between the pole-tips of the core 15.

The relay described is that which l prefer l do not, however, limit myself to the use of such relay, as other forms of relay may be employed.

Mounted upon the armature 18 is a bar 20, from which depend the arms 21 22, shaped as shown. Situated' below the arms 21 22 are liuidcontact vessels 23 2%. Each vessel consists of a cylindrical shell 25, having two openings 26 27 in the top. Located in the opening 27 and having its top carried somewhat above the opening 26 is a tube 28. Located within the shell 25 and carried up to the level of the opening 2G is a body of mercury 29, and located within the tube 23 above the mercury is a body of oil 30. Situated on the arms 2.1 22 are disks 31, which coact with the body of oil 3() to resist, (like a dash-pot,) the quick IOO movement of the armature 18. The arm 21 ot' bar 20 is connected, through a conductor 32, to conductor 3, and located in this conductor is a heavy resistance 33.

The mercury 29 in vessel 23 is connected, through conductor 34, to an insulated springterminal 35, carried in a frame 36, mounted on a frame which supports the operating mechanism for the semaphorearm, and also through conductor 37 and resistance 38 to earth and to an oppositely-disposed insulated spring-terminal 39. The mercury 29 in vessel 24 is connected, through the line-wire coil 40 of solenoid 41 and through coil of magnet 42, to earth, also through conductor 37 to spring-terminal 39. Spring-terminal 43 is connected through the coarse-wire coil 44 ot' solenoid 41 and to a contact-plate 45, adapted to coact with the armature 46 of magnet 42. Spring-terminal 47 is connected, through conductor 48, to the conductor 3.

Situated within the solenoid 41 is a core 49, shown in Fig. 1 as directly connected, through a rod 50, to the short arm otl a senntphore-arm 51 and in Fig. 3 indirectly through a lever.

The above description applies to the parts and arrangement ot' parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, which are illustrative of the mechanism employed Vfor lifting the semaphore-arm 51, 60 indicates a frame provided with lugs 61,by means of which it may be attached on any suitable support. Mounted in this frame is the solenoid 41. This solenoid, as has been previously described, consists ot' the fine-wire coil 40 and the coarse-wire coil 44, wound concentrically upon spool 62. Situated within the solenoid 41 is the core 49, which is conical at its upper end 63. Located over the core 49 is a threaded block 64, which may be adjusted vertically to determine the upward limit of movement of the core 49. Depending from the frame 60 is an arm 65, in which is pivoted a leverarm 66. Situated in this arm near its pivotal point is atransversely-disposed pin 67, which pin is located within an elongated slot 68 in the lower end of the core 49. The lower end of the core has two sides flattened, as shown at 69, and surrounding the pin 67 and overlying the flat portions of the core are washers 70. The pin and washers are held in position by a Cotter-pin 71. rlhe purpose ot' this construction is to permita certain upward or downward movement of the core 49 relative to the arm 66 before actuating the arm, and thus permit the core to impartahammerblow when it moves in either direction to the arm 66 in order to insure its movement. Pivotally mounted on the outer end or' the arm 66 is the rod 50. Also pivotally mounted near the end of the arm 66 is the barrel 72 of adash-pot, the piston of which, 73, is pivotally mounted upon arms 74, projecting from the upper side of the frame 60. Surrounding the barrel 72 is an annular band 75, carrying a ring 76. Situated within this ring and also in bearings 77 78, respectively, in the upper and lower part otl the frame 60 is a rod 79. On the upper end of this rod is a metallic disk 80, which is insulated from the rod. Pivoted on the lever 66 is a bell-crank latch 81, the upper end ot' which is provided with a hook 82, adapted to coact when in the upper position (shown in Fig. 3) with a pin 83, projecting from the frame 60. On the bach of the hook is a projecting arm 84, adapted to coact with a spring-buffer stop 85. The long end 86 of the latch 81 is located under the lower end of the core 49.

87 88 indicate stops on rod 79; 89, contactspring bearing on rod 79; 90, motor-vehicles carrying motor 91.

The operation oi' the system described is as follows: The power-current from the generator 1 is t'ed to conductor 3, passes through motor 91 on Vehicle 90, and is returned to generator 1 through rails 5 6 and bonds 7 8. The path of the current through conductor 6 and bonds is as follows: starting from blocksection C, by rail 6, hond 7, rail 5, bond 8, bach to rail 6, following the same path through the bonds in the ditferent sections until the generator is reached. 1t will thus be seen that two separate paths are provided 'for the return-current. The alternating current from generator 2 traverses the primaries 9 ot' the transtornlers 10, which through their secondaries 11 etlect a dili'erence ot potential between the rails 5 6 of each block. This difference of potential traverses the primaries 12 of the transformers 13, which through their secondaries 14 excite the cores 15 ot' the relays 17. Then a core 15 is excited, it reacts upon an armature-coil 19 ol a relay and causes it to assume the position shown in block-section A. \Vhen .in this position, the arm 22 of the bar 20, mounted on top ot' the armature 18, moves downward and makes contact with the body o1 mercury 29 in the vessel 24, or, in other words, closes a path for the powercurrent vfrom conductor 3 through conductor 32 to bar 20, arm 22, mercury 29, line-wire coil 40, solenoid 41, magnet 42, to earth. At such time the parts are in the position shown in the block-section A, with the semaphore-arm 51 at Ldanger, and it will be observed that the disk 8O on the end of the rod at such time bridges the spring-l contacts 47 43 and that the core 49 ot' the solenoid 41 is in its lowest position and the armature 46 of magnet 42 not in contact with the block 45. lVhen the arm 22 makes contact with the mercury 29 in vessel 24, the armature 46 of magnet 42 is lifted into contact with the contact-block 45 and the core 49, under the iniiuence ot' the magnetism excited by both the fine-wire coil 40 and coarsewire coil 44, is suddenly lifted. The movement of the core 49 upward is transmitted to IOO IZO

the lever 66 and through it to the arm 59, which lifts the short arm of the semaphore 51 to the danger position shown in section A 'and simultaneously the barrel 72 of the dashpot and Withit the ring 76, which, acting' under the stop on the rod 79, lifts the rod 79 and with it the disk 80, thereby lifting the disk'from contact with the terminals 47 43 and bringing it into contact with the terminals 35 39. When limit of movement of the core 49 has been reached, the hook end 82 of the bell-crank latch 81 coacts with the pin 83 and locks the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3. It will be observed that at such time the power-current traversing the coarse-wire coil 44 of the solenoid 41 is cut olf and that the only current traversing the solenoid is that passing' through the 'fine-wire coil 40, which is only sufficient to excite magnet 42 and hold the armature 46 in contact with the contact-block 45, thus requiring the expenditure of very little energy to maintain the semaphore-arm in the danger position. When a motor-vehicle moves into a block, the difference of potential between the rails 5 6 is destroyed or otherwise shuntcd, the effect of which is to denergize the core 15 of relay 17, which permits the armature 18 to return to the position shown in section B, thereby lifting the arm 22 out of the mercury 29 in the vessel 24, 'thereby breaking the circuit through the fine-wire coil 40 of the solenoid 41 and through magnet 42. Vhen such circuit is broken, the core 49 of the solenoid 41 drops and in dropping strikes the end 86 of the bell-crank latch 81, releasing its hook end 82 from the pin 83, and thereby permitting the semaphore-arm to drop by gravity to the danger position shown in block-section B. As soon as a motor-vehicle moves out of a block-section the parts will be restored to the position shown in block-section A. The purpose of the body of oil 30 in the tube 28 and the disk 31 on the end of the arms 2l 22 is twofoldgfirst, to provide that the spark of make or break between the arm 22 and thc body of mercury 29 in the vessel 24 shall take place Linder oil, and thereby be modified, and, in the second place, to dampen the movement of the armature 18.

The above description has applied to the operation of the railway as a whole.

Referring now to the operation of the relay when connected as illustrated in a system such as described'that is, where one rail is continuous and the other divided into blocksections and both rails separately employed as return-paths for the power-currentthe potential available to operate the relay is very low, practically not much over one volt, and for the following reason: The signaling-current exciting the difference of potential between the rails is fed in at one end of a blocksection, while the relay is located at the other. The reactance of the rails acts to cut down this current. Consequently to prevent leakage the exciting-current must be of low voltage, with the result that thc voltage of thc current at the relay end of the block is considerably reduced. Further, where the movable member of the relay is employed to open and close a powercircuit of considerable quantity, approximately twenty watts, means must be provided to control the spark due to thc movement of the relay and resulting from thc movement of a motor-Car into and out of a block, or to the jumping of the movable member of the very sensitive relay which must be used.

The construction and mode of operation of the sensitive relay has been described. Means for preventing the spark is as follows: 1t will be observed that the relay controls two paths to earth, the one from conductor 3 through the conductor 32, resistance 33. contact-arm 21, mercury 29, conductor 37, resistance 38, to earth; the other, conductor 3, conductor 48, Contact 47, disk 80, contact 42, coarse-wire coil 44, armature 46, to earth. By reason of the shape given to arm 214that is, the arm 21 is made sufficiently long to be always in contact with the mercury 29 in vessel 23---and by reason of its conical shape to increase or decrease the resistance of the path within which it is included as it moves into and out of the mercury in the vessel 23 the firstnamed path is always closed, but through very considerable resistance. Vhen the armature 18 takes the position shown in Fig. 2, the rcsistance of this path is increased as the conical end of the arm 21 moves upward into thc mercury. Then the difference of potential across the tracks excites the armature 18 of the relay,` the armature takes the position shown in Fig. 2thatis, the end of the arm 21 moves up ward in the mercury 29 in the cup 23, thereby decreasing the area of Contact and increasing the resistance of the path in which it is included, while the arm 22 moves into the mercury in the vessel 24. lt will thus bc seen that there is no actual make or break d uc to the movement of the arms 21 22, but that the current is shunt-ed from one path-rf. a., the path at the left of the relay to that at the right of the relay. The relative resistance of these two paths is of course arranged so that when the armature of the relay is in the position shown in block B very small current will traverse the path at the left of the relay, whereas when the armature is in the position shown in block A sufficient current will flow through the path at the right of the relay to excite successively the iine and coarse wire coils of the solenoid 41, and thus effect the required movement of the semaphore-arm.

Having thus described my invention, I claim4 1. Asystem of automatic signaling for electric railways, comprising a source of powercurrent, a source of signaling-current, atrackway divided into block-sections, means for ICO rendering the block-sections electrically continuous for the power-current and electrically separated for the signaling-current, a signaling device actuated by the power-current, and means controlled by the diference of potential between the rails which will control the passage of the power-current through the signaling apparatus.

2. A system of automatic signaling for electric railways, comprising a source of powercurrent, a source or' signaling-current, a trackway divided into block -sections, means for rendering the block-sections electrically continuous for the power-current and electrically separated for the signaling-current, a selective relayhaving its armature connected across the trackway, and means controlled by the movement ofthe relay for controlling the passage of the power-current through the signaling apparatus.

3. A system of automatic signaling for electric railways, comprising a source of powercurrent, a source otl signaling-current, a trackway divided into block-sections, and means for rendering the block-sections electrically continuous for the power-current and electrically separated for the signaling-current, a signaling device operated by the power-current comprising a solenoid, a core and a semaphorearm, and means for controlling the powercurrent transmitted through said solenoid, comprising a selective relay having its armature connected across the trackway, and amercury-contact device interposed in the powercircuit and actuated by the armature ot' the relay.

4. A system of automatic signaling Jfor electric railways, comprising a source of powercurrent, a source of signaling-current, a trackway divided into block-sections, means for rendering the block-sections electrically continuous for the power-current and electrically separated for the signaling-current, a signaling device comprising a solenoid normally in circuit across the terminals o1 the source ot' power-current,a core movable in said solenoid, a semaphore-ann connected to said solenoid, and means for breaking the power-circuit through said solenoid when a motor-car moves into a block.

5. A system of automatic signaling for electric railways, comprising a source of powercurrent, a source of signaling-current, a trackway divided into block-sections, means for rendering the block-sections electrically continuous for the power-current and electrically separated for the signaling-current, a selective relay havingits iixed member connected across the source of signaling-current, and its movable member across the trackway, a signaling device comprising' a solenoid provided with a coarse-wire coil and a tine-wire coil, said fine-wire coil normally connected across the terminals ofthe power-current, together with means for connecting the coarsewire coil across the source ol. power-current and after a time cutting said coarse-wire coil out of circuit.

6. A system ot' automatic signaling' for electric railways, comprising a source ol' powercurrent, asource of signaling-current, a trackway divided into block-sections, means Vfor rendering the block-sections electrically continuous for the power-current and electrically separated for the signaling-current, a selective relay having one member connected across the source of signaling-current and the other member across the trackway, a pair ot' contact-arms carried by the movable member of the relay, mercury-contact devices adapted to coact with said arms, a signal comprising a solenoid, a core, a signal-arm, said core having a line-wire coil and a coarse-wire coil, said line-wire coil normally connected across the terminals of the source of power -current, means for connecting the coarse-wire coil across the source of power-current, and means for locking the signal-arm in the clear position.

7. In a signaling' system such as described, a selective relay comprising a lixed member connected across the source of signaling-current, a movable member connected across the trackway ol cach block, contact-making arms carried by said movable member, and liquid- Contact switches adapted to coact with said arms to make and break circuits.

8. In a system of automatic signaling such as described, a selective relay comprising a fixed member and amovablemem ber, said lixed member connected across the source ot sigmaling-current and said movable member connected across the trackway, contact-arms carried by the movable member and shaped to make contact with the mercury in two oppositely-placed vessels at the same time, the interposed circuit connections, together with resistances and asignaling device having its operating mechanism situated in the path olil low resistance for the power-current, whereby when the movable member of the relay has its axis in the plane of the polar extensions ol the lixed member, a path of high resistance for the power-current will exist across the terminals of the source of power-current, and when the axis of the movable member of the relay is at an angle to the plane of the polar extensions of the iixed member, a path ol low resistance for the power-current will exist across the terminals of the source of powercurrent.

9. VIn a system of automatic signaling such as described, a path ot' high resistance closed across the terminals oli' the source ot' powercurrent, a path of low resistance normally open across the terminals of the source olI power-current, mechanism for actuating a semaphore-arm in said last-named path, and means actuated by a difference of potential between the rails ot' the system and which will interpose resistance in the path of high recore, a lever connected to said core, mechanl ism for cutting the low-resistance coil into and out of circuit, mechanism for locking the core in its upper position, a connecting-rod, and a pivoted semaphore-arm.

11. In a system of automatic signaling' such as described, mechanism for operating the semaphore-arm, comprising a solenoidal magnet having two coils thereon, a movable core having a slot in its lower end, means for limiting the movement of the core, a pivoted lever, a horizontal pin in said lever situated in the slot of said core, means for cutting' one of the coils of the solenoid into and out of circuit, a bell-crank pivoted on said lever and having at one end a latch and the other end located under the core, a pin with which said latch engages, a connecting-rod connected to the lever at one end, and a semaphore-arm connected to the rod at the other end.

In testimony whereof I aliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL MARSH YOUNG.

lVitnesses:

J. E. PEARsoN, FRANK OCoNNon. 

